A Blissful Retreatat ArdencoteDestination Spa

Nestled in the rolling Warwickshire countryside,Ardencote is a luxury Victorian manor house that dates back to 1863. Boasting a beautiful setting, delightful dining and an inviting spa, this idyllic retreat was definitely ticking all the boxes for anindulgentspa getaway.

You can visit the Scandi-inspired Destination Spa as a day guest, or upgrade to overnight – We opted for an overnight stay with a spa day added on.

Our day began with an invigorating foot spa, followed by the blissfully relaxing Himalayan Salt Sauna, negatively charged ions in the salt help everything from mental health to aches and pains, I could have spent all day in here!

Step outside and enter the Tyrolean Kilo Sauna where the temperature sooths, unwinds and relaxes your body.

The Ice Fountain provides a stimulating shock to your body, and the tranquillity lounge is the optimal hideaway to enjoy some ‘me’ time, whetherit’s reading a book, meditating or just letting your body rest.

Time to hop in the outdoor hot tub, with its all year round constant 38 degrees and seating for up to 24 people, it is the epitome ofdoing nothing and it seemed rude not to order a cocktail to celebrate the fact I had it all to myself! The ultimate place to just chill, soak up the atmosphere and reset my body and mind.

Doing nothing certainly makes you hungry, so we made our way to the light and airy Brasserie with its relaxed vibe, lime green, and earthy décor and tempting mouth-watering light bites where we enjoyed delicious Salt and Pepper Fried Squid served with dressed salad leaves and sweet chilli dip and Japanese-style Karaagi Chicken served with Asian slaw and Siracha mayonnaise.

Suitably nourished it was time to head up to the spa treatment lounge for the ‘Warm Harmony Massage Treatment’ a full body massage where you lay face downwith comfy pillows, cosy blankets and warming barley bags. Smooth massage techniques combined with an intoxicating sleep balm completely relaxes the muscles while scents of petitgrain and black pepper enlighten the senses and send you into a serene state of pure indulgence. Dimmed lights, beautiful aromas and soothing music add to the whole ambience of peace and tranquillity.

Treatment finished I floated out of the spa to reception where we checked in and headed to our room. Ardencote has 110 en-suite rooms, and six suites all are spacious and comfortable and, while not identical, are similar in contemporary design and furnishings.

After unwinding in the room for a while it was time to get ready for dinner, which again is served in the Brasserie. The perfectly crafted menu offers plenty of dishes to suit everyone’stastebuds.

We began with starters of Italian Charcuterie,marinated artichokes, balsamic onions, and truffle honey dressing along with Wild Mushroom Panzerotti in a spinach sauce, complementedeffortlessly with a bottle of Zinfandel Rose.

Mains consisted of Roast Cod Loin served with sautéed pak choi and a crayfish tomato and sherry dressing, along with the Signature Ground Beef Burger dressed with Katsu curry mayonnaise and Asian slaw served with rustic chips, both dishes were fresh and full of flavour, a real treat to the palette.

A sweet dessert was an indulgence too far for me, so I opted for the cheese platter, but hubbie had no such qualms and delved into the Lemon Charlotte, light and refreshing and the perfect way to end the evening.

After a restful night’s sleep, we headed back to the Brasserie for breakfast, where you’ll find a good choice of buffet items including pastries, fresh fruits, juices, breads, cereal and of course all the hot staples for a full English or Vegetarian cooked breakfast.

Ardencote is a blissful retreat where you can relax and recharge your batteries, you can do as much or as little as you want – Perfectlyplaced to visit the many attractions of Warwickshire.